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DOWN TO BUSINESS: Reality guru Mark Burnett is slated to begin productiontoday on The Apprentice, a New York-based reality series that is beingdescribed as Survivor set in the business world. The show -- which starsDonald Trump -- is slated to debut in February on NBC.

In a bold new reality series that tests competitors' survival techniques in New York City's corporate jungle, NBC and executive producer Mark Burnett (“Survivor”) will team up for "The Apprentice," a 15-episode series in which candidates vie for the chance to become an "apprentice" to a "master." During the first season of "The Apprentice," legendary business tycoon Donald Trump will serve as the "master" and his business empire, The Trump Organization, will be the hub of the competition.

In the series' concept, approximately 16 candidates from all walks of life, including both Ivy League MBA graduates and street entrepreneurs with no college education, will endure rigorous selection as they are tested for their intelligence, chutzpah and street-smarts. They will face the challenges of living together in close quarters, must complete sometimes humorous but always difficult job assignments and will be forced to think outside the box in order to outshine each other to get to the top.

Candidates not completing the job assignment successfully will meet face to face with Trump after each round of competition, enduring a grueling interview session with Trump and some of his key executives. Each week Trump will fire one candidate from the contest. In the season’s final episode, one promising and ambitious person will emerge supreme and will win the chance for the dream job of a lifetime with the Trump Organization.

Burnett is the Emmy Award-winning executive producer of “Survivor” and “Eco-Challenge.” Burnett’s entrepreneurial spirit inspired the birth of the reality “unscripted” drama series, garnered skyrocketing ratings and introduced millions of Americans to an entirely different television genre. Burnett is partnering with Reveille and Magna Global Entertainment to produce NBC’s “The Restaurant,” which will be broadcast this summer.

“The Apprentice” is produced by Mark Burnett Productions. Mark Burnett is executive producer and is represented by Conrad Riggs who will also serve as a producer on the project.

"This is the real jungle," Donald Trump says from behind his desk, gesturing at Manhattan's skyline.Who should know better than the king of this jungle, New York's business world? Trump, never known to shy away from cameras, stars in reality show impresario Mark Burnett's latest creation, "The Apprentice." It premieres Thursday, Jan. 8, on NBC, in a 90-minute show before moving to its regular time slot on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

As would behoove two men who deal in superlatives, "The Apprentice" had some 215,000 applicants, more than any show in television history, according to NBC. These contestants want more than what reality shows dangle before players -- love, sex and money. They want power.

Whether any of them have what it takes to earn or seize power remains to be seen. The big payoff is a one-year job with a serious title -- president of a division in the Trump Organization -- and a salary of $250,000. The live finale of the 15-episode show airs in April. As of now, even Trump is not certain who wins.

Trump, always the businessman, was non-committal about the winner's future. "It's a one-year job and at the end of the year, we'll see what happens," he says.

Once the nearly quarter of a million hopefuls were culled to 16 contestants, Trump became involved. And, he is involved in each step. He divided the contestants into two teams, men vs. women. They lived in a Trump loft in midtown, while the show taped.

In the first episode, the contestants meet at the New York Stock Exchange and Trump gives them their first task: Operate a lemonade stand. This may sound like child's play, but the object of the task is simple: Turn a profit. Earning money, however, is not always easy.

Another task involves renovating and leasing a Manhattan apartment, one of which Trump owns.

"Each [task] is about how much money they can make each week," Burnett says from Los Angeles prior to boarding a plane to an undisclosed location for the next edition of "Survivor."

Other tasks have the diverse contestants launching a brand of bottled water and getting it into restaurants, and operating bicycle rickshaws in Manhattan. At the completion of each task, the winning team is awarded a lavish prize and someone from the losing team is fired.

Trump personally gives people the boot. He looks unusually comfortable, in a brief clips tape, saying, "You are fired." In his office, however, Trump appears more subdued than his public persona. Firing employees is "part of life," he says. "It's not nice. There are some people who love firing people, but they are sickos."

Trump and Burnett independently rave about the intelligence of the contestants who range from street-smart hustlers to Harvard MBA alumni.

"These people are truly brilliant," Trump says. "The toughest thing was choosing between two super geniuses. They went through hell and did an amazing job." Still, Trump concedes, "Sometimes, I was amazed that someone with a 215 IQ would do amazingly stupid things."

As usual with Burnett, he did not allow contestants to talk with the press. The tape of them shows Type-A personalities intent on victory, at any price. And, some young women dress like the wrong sort of working girl.

Contestants, who range from 21 to 37, include three who work in real estate and several entrepreneurs, including Bill Rancic, 32, of Chicago. He started a cigar business out of a tiny apartment and turned it into a multimillion dollar business. Some are stock brokers and many experienced major gains and losses in the dotcom boom.

Contestants filled out an application that included the question, "Tell us an embarrassing story about yourself." Trump, whose dalliances have been tabloid fodder for years, hemmed and hawed before finally answering that "being turned down by a woman, which happened to me in earlier years," was his most embarrassing predicament.

A more standard question on the application queries contestants about where they hope to be in five years. "I'm more inclined to think I'll be doing what I'm doing," Trump says. "I do it well, and I get a kick out of it."

If viewers get a kick out of "The Apprentice," it could lead to a series, which Burnett envisions. "I am a businessman," Burnett says. "I don't do things for vanity. I do things I think have legs." Trump says he will wait to see how it fares before making any plans.

As tourists snap photos of the indoor waterfall in Trump Tower, Trump reveals why he became involved in this show. "Other networks came to me and wanted to follow me around," he says.

Such unfettered exposure could hurt deals, Trump explains. And if there is one thing Trump understands, it is the art of the deal.

Trump, who changed the skyline he so admires, has his sights set on Chicago and Los Angeles. Photos and articles of him line the walls of his Fifth Avenue office. A billionaire who lives in the city's highest triplex, Trump is well regarded in his hometown.

Still, he has no plans to parlay his fame and fortune into a political career. "I'm too honest," he says.

He is honest enough to admit that he does not watch other reality shows, but met Burnett when a "Survivor" segment was held in Central Park's Wollman Rink, which Trump restored.

For his part, Burnett has long respected Trump. Indeed, he had the idea for this reality show long before "Survivor," and always wanted Trump as its centerpiece.

"I came to this country with nothing and was an entrepreneur," Burnett says. "I made money selling t-shirts on Venice Beach and read Trump's book, 'The Art of the Deal.' He is America's last great tycoon."

If "The Apprentice" succeeds, it could spawn a new crop of tycoons. "They are supposed to be learning a lot during this year," Trump says. "Then they will go out and be very successful people, hopefully billionaires

I watched The Apprentice last night and absolutley loved it!! Here's a recap from the site..It's a lot to read...

January 8, 2004by Help Wanted

Sixteen "survivors" arrived on the treacherous island of Manhattan to face the challenge of their lives, with the hopes of winning a six-figure salary. Their boss over the next 13 weeks would be the biggest real estate developer in New York, Donald Trump. The players are from all walks of life, from PhDs and MBAs to home-schooled, self-made success stories. Read more about each player, click here.

The players arrived at what would be their home for the next few months, an insanely cool suite in Trump Tower. See pictures, click here. The eight men and eight women had never met each other before arriving at their new digs. They were escorted into a sophisticated boardroom where "The Donald" was waiting for them. Some players chose to stand, while others sat at the massive boardroom table across from one of the most famous business tycoons in the world. Donald introduced a man seated to his right as George Ross - Trump's Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel. On Donald's left sat one of his Chief Operating Officers, Carolyn Kepcher. George and Carolyn would help Donald decide which one of the 16 people before him would ultimately "win" a job as President of one of Trump's companies for one year.

The Donald let the players know that out of 215,000 applicants these 16 people were hand picked to participate in what he called a "13-week job interview." This, he emphasized, was no game. Despite that, he divided the group into two teams of eight: men vs. women. Each week, he explained, there will be a business task for each team to accomplish. Each team will select a "project manager" for that week to lead the team. The project manager will be held partly responsible for that team's success or failure. The losing team will meet with Donald after the task competition, and one member of that team will be fired.

Next, the players arrived in the suite. They were in awe of the lush surroundings...it was like "The Real World" all grown up. The men and women seemed excited by the men vs. women aspect of the teams. They mingled while sipping champagne and snacking on caviar. In the midst of the schmoozing, Omarosa opened an envelope and discovered their first task: picking a name for their team. Catching the hint, the men soon found their envelope and also got to the name task. After hours of deliberation on both sides, the names were chosen: Versacorp for the men and Protégé Corporation for the women. That afternoon, the Trump hotline - a red phone in the living area - began to ring. The group was instructed to meet The Donald the following morning at the New York Stock Exchange.

Bright and early our teams arrived to find Donald, George and Carolyn waiting at the NYSE. The teams anxiously awaited their first task. Would they be on the floor of the exchange? Would they be hobnobbing with Wall Street traders? Trump took them back to basics. Each team would start with $250 and have to sell lemonade on the streets of New York. At the end of the day, the team with the most profit would win the task. Troy was introduced as the team leader for the men and let Donald know their team name, Versacorp. Ereka stepped up as the ladies' task manager and introduced the Protégé Corporation. Donald responded much better to Protégé than to Versacorp, as far as names go. Might've been the lovely ladies he was responding too...but who can know for sure? Donald rang the opening bell as the two teams scattered.

Location, location, location. Trump said he'd rather have a smart person making a great deal in a bad location, than an idiot making a bad deal in a great location. It made sense when he said it. Troy rallied the men and assigned tasks to different team members, while Carolyn Kepcher watched with interest. While some mapped locations and others went to gather supplies, the women gathered under Ereka's leadership. However, there was just a lot of arguing going on and not much planning. No one was letting Ereka lead, but everyone had plenty of ideas about how to proceed. Versacorp chose to set up shop near a touristy spot and began charging $1 a cup. Kwame negotiated free supplies with a local vendor, which saved seed money. Versacorp was on target. Protégé finally got it together and used their cell phones to keep in constant communication during the setup and supply phase. It also helped when Ereka and Kristi got totally turned around and wound up on the opposite side of the town. Finally, Protégé got their logistics worked out and refocused. Tammy didn't win any points when she took a lunch break...and spent some of the seed money on a snack! Meanwhile, none of her team members had eaten anything all day. Omarosa tried to reach out and give Tammy some advice, but it just wound up creating more tension.

Meanwhile, across town, Versacorp looked very organized and was very earnest in their attempts to drum up business, but wasn't doing any business. David, the genius in the group (supposedly), ran around with a sign practically assaulting passersby. The guys decided that Kwame's seaport location wasn't working for them. They packed up and began to hunt for a new spot, as the women began a hunt of their own. Apparently, sex sells lemonade. They were doling out kisses, phone numbers and good old-fashioned flirting with their lemonade...and actually getting $5 per cup! Sam, meanwhile, was getting very frustrated with the increasingly failed efforts of Versacorp. He wasted precious time and went against the team leader to try and sell one cup for $1,000. Needless to say, it didn't work.

At the end of the day, the teams regrouped back in the boardroom to tally the profits. Carolyn gave Donald the Versacorp update: They found a location quickly, tapped into local resources and doubled their money. George reported in on the Protégé Corporation: They got their act together and made over $1,200 dollars! The women had won! As a treat for winning, the women were invited to Donald's private apartment. The men, however, would have to return to the boardroom later that day to face a firing. Losing to the women was a big reality check for Versacorp. If the women thought their luxurious suite was impressive, it was nothing compared to The Donald's private penthouse. Picture a French chateau with a breathtaking view of Manhattan. Gold furnishings and trim, indoor fountains, imported Italian marble...you name it, The Donald had it.

Back in the suite, the guys tried to figure out who their "fall guy" would be at the firing. Oddly Sam, not team leader Troy, seemed the most anxious/nervous. Once in the boardroom, the men faced their "boss" and braced for the worst. George kicked things off by saying that "he didn't want to work with an idiot," and that location was the most crucial thing to successfully completing the task. Kwame defended his choice of the seaport Fish Market location, but Trump wasn't buying it. Sam was very diplomatic in his critique of Troy's leadership. Jason was put on the spot next and got busted for actually interrupting Donald during the discussion. In his own defense. Troy said it's very easy to be a "Monday quarterback," but in the moment he stepped up and ran with the ball. Carolyn then chimed in to say that Troy was an inconsistent leader because he backed up Kwame on the location, but didn't back up Sam when he offered ideas on marketing and sales. When Donald polled the guys on who they felt was the worst leader in the group, they almost unanimously said, "Sam." Troy said it was because Sam doesn't earn the respect of the team. Sam, who was totally annoyed at this point, stood up and made an impassioned plea to Donald Trump about how he was "the only person in the United States" that Sam wanted to work for. Donald responded by putting the pressure back on Troy. He asked Troy to name the two team members who were equally responsible for the failed lemonade business - and the two he felt would not make good corporate presidents. Troy named Sam and David. The remaining five guys were sent back up to the suite. Troy, Sam and David were asked to wait outside the boardroom while George, Donald and Carolyn deliberated. George said he liked that Sam was a risk taker. Carolyn reiterated that Troy was an inconsistent leader. The guys were asked back in. Donald told Troy that despite being a lousy leader, he had potential. Troy was allowed to stay. Donald then turned to Sam and told him that as a wild card, he'll either to great or be a "total disaster." Donald hadn't figured out which way it would go yet. David hadn't made much of an impression at all and he even admitted that he wouldn't have been a good leader for this task. In this battle, it's the suite or the street. Donald sent Sam to the "up" elevator, back to the suite - and David to the "down" elevator, out to the street. David was fired.

I love this show. I applaud Mark Burnett for another good show. I enjoy the jobs the two teams are sent to do. It is neat the ideas they come up with. I wonder if they will merge the two teams later on down the road. So far Donald has fired the rights guys. I could not believe Jason did not meet with the clients to see what kind of ad they wanted for their airline card. Considering he volunteered to be the Team Leader for the task as he mentioned he worked in advertising for awhile. He really had no clue. And as annoying as Sam is, he really does think way beyond normal thinking. But you need someone like that with the crazy ideas. Sam definitely will not make it to win but he will be good as part of a team. For the girls, Omarosa sure is a bossy one that can't stand it when she doesn't get her way. I wonder what the task will be for them this week. For anyone that hasn't seen it yet, you have to tune in. The rewards for winning the tasks are pretty good.

The Men lose Again!! It's not fair..the woman shake their stuff to get what they want ..the men are just as smart but, can' get a break..Sam Is fired, Trump was really hard on him..) Sam was so set up by his team..maybe now they could concentrate on winning instead of getting Sam fired :...

Sam was on the Today show and asked his girlfriend to marry him..she said Yes !! I liked Sam.. !I'll do a recap copied from www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice...

January 21, 2004Sam Can't Deliver..He's OutSam and Nick returned from Jason's firing to greet their stunned housemates. While Nick returned to the group, Sam plopped himself down in the entryway and said he would "sit at the front door until someone comes over to greet me." So he waited... and waited... and waited. No one came. Meanwhile, coming out of a second devastating loss to the women, the men decided it was time for Sam to put up or shut up. They elected him Project Manager for the next task. The women, on the other hand, who had been succeeding at the weekly tasks were not succeeding in creating a happy team. In fact, Jessie called a meeting to discuss the constant in-fighting. Katrina backed Jessie up and felt the behavior was unprofessional. In the middle of the discussion, Omarosa got up and left the group. Later, Katrina and Omarosa tried to continue the conversation privately, but that only resulted in both of them accusing the other of personal attacks. The confrontation escalated to the point where Katrina almost started crying and told Omarosa to "shut-up."Donald met both groups at Westchester Airport to illustrate the "art of the deal." After listening to how Donald negotiated a buy for unused planes at a greatly reduced cost, the group learned that their next task would test them on the art of negotiation. Each team was given a list of items and an approximate retail value for each item. Like a scavenger hunt, the teams would have to locate the items and negotiate for a lower-than-retail cost. The team that collected the most items, at the biggest savings, would win the task. The losing team would have one team member fired. When the men regrouped to go over a game plan, Troy compared Sam to Picasso. He said Sam was way out in left field, but he painted a colorful, yet disturbing picture. Would it be enough to lead the men to victory? For the women, Jessie took over as Project Manager and she wisely divided the team into two, smaller groups - separating Omarosa and Katrina. Likewise, the men had a "field" team consisting of Bowie, Kwame and Nick; and an "office" team to call the plays.

As the day continued, the women and men applied different strategies. The women, once again, learned that a little flirting goes a long way - not to mention flat out begging. Nick suggested they call a local dealer. They were instructed, incorrectly, to buy gold late in the day - and consequently wasted their whole morning trying to negotiate their gold purchase. That turned out to be a costly mistake. The field team had just gotten to Chinatown and was about to negotiate at least two other items on the list when Sam called and sent them uptown on a gold hunt. Sam's management style seemed to frustrate the guys, but they continued to follow his direction. The women were much more successful in Chinatown, buying both squid and a leg wax at reduced prices. Back at the suite, Sam, Nick and Troy were in the middle of crunch time when they got a surprise visit from The Donald. Donald asked Sam if maybe the guys elected him Project Manager so they could get rid of him. Then, after Donald told Sam he never realized how short he was, Donald shook his hand. This was obviously one of the biggest moments in Sam's life. Once Donald left, Troy made Sam take a moment to refocus his energy at the still uncompleted task.At five o'clock, both teams reported back to Trump Tower for a final tabulation. George reported in for the women. The total retail value of the items on the list was $1,379.33. The women negotiated an overall savings of 22%. Carolyn then reported in for the men. Their total savings off the retail value was only 9%. The women had won for a third time! Donald said he was starting to think he may never hire a man again. As a reward for their hard-earned win, the women were treated to dinner at the famed 21 Club.

The next day, the men returned to face their firing. Donald asked the group if they felt it was Sam's fault that they failed the negotiation task. Kwame spoke-up first and said, "Yes." He felt that the golf club and the leg wax should have been the easiest to negotiate down. Kwame also reiterated that it was Sam's fault that they aborted their Chinatown mission and went chasing for gold that wasn't easily negotiated. When asked if he thought Sam was a leader, Nick replied that while Sam possessed leadership qualities he's not sure he'd have made the same decisions. Bowie didn't agree and flatly said, "No." In his defense, Sam felt that he didn't get the full respect of his team, which hindered his leadership abilities. Next, Sam chose Kwame and Bowie to face the firing with him. Nick, Bill and Troy were sent back up to the suite. George and Carolyn both told Donald that Sam was a distracting factor and that it would be interesting to see how the men performed without him. When the guys reentered the boardroom, Donald asked them all to defend themselves. Once again, Sam tried to say it was lack of team respect that led to team failure; however, Donald interrupted to ask "Isn't it over, Sam?" And then Donald told Sam the two words nobody wants to hear, "You're fired." Sam was stunned into silence and sulked out of the boardroom.

Apprentice update....Apparently NBC realized that Wends, nights at 8:00..was not a good time slot for The Apprentice~~I just saw a commercial..It's now officially moved to Thurs. nights againat 9:00.

From TV GuideBAD HAIR DAY: Donald Trump can wipe that smug look off his face. His hit NBCreality show The Apprentice got clobbered in the ratings last night by Fox'sAmerican Idol. Clobbered. In its first Wednesday outing opposite Simon Cowell and Co., The Apprentice attracted 12 million viewers to Idol's 29million viewers. The Apprentice had been averaging 20 million viewers on Thursday nights.

I ended up taping American Idol and watching Apprentice. It was the only way for me to watch both shows. I figure it was worth taping American Idol as if I wanted to rewatch someone make a fool of themselves, I could rewind and laugh again.

Bowie is fired..Yep the girls won again : no big surprise there.. anyway..the previews for next week show the teams splitting. Their are 8 girls left & 4 men..so the new teams will be even ...4 girls 2 men .. When the site is updated I'll post tonights recap..

When their teammates last left them, Kwame, Sam and Bowie were in the boardroom facing Donald Trump. Nick, Bill, Troy and the women anxiously waited in the suite to see who would return from the recent firing. When Bowie and Kwame entered, the others erupted in elated cheers! Bowie said that Sam was a "cancer" to everyone in the suite. Nick, on the other hand, felt that losing Sam would hurt the men's team. He thought there were weaker players on the team and that he was "pissed" at the decision to fire Sam.

The next day, the teams were instructed to report to Times Square by 8am. Donald met them there to explain their next task. He pointed over to Planet Hollywood and told the teams they would each have to manage one night's shift. The women would be up first and go to work that same day. The men would takeover the next day.

It's a 50,000 square foot restaurant with over 250 employees, not to mention a tourist hotspot. The team that makes more money for the restaurant, versus the same time the previous year, would win the task. As always, George and Carolyn would be along to keep tabs (so to speak). The winning team would be rewarded with an excursion to Trump National Golf Club, while the losing team would face a firing.

Katrina said she felt the men were a "lethal weapon" without Sam and that she feared what they could accomplish without him. Bill was pumped for the team to excel and knew that another trip to the boardroom would be totally embarrassing. Even though Nick had the most restaurant experience in the group, he nominated Kwame as Project Manager. Kwame saw this as a lack of confidence on Nick's part. However, Nick saw it as dodging the firing bullet should the task fail. A similar situation emerged on the women's team. Despite Kristi's vast experience as a restaurant owner, Katrina was elected Project Manager; however, she knew Kristi would work closely with her to make for a profitable evening. Later, Omarosa admitted that she had started to change her attitude towards her teammates. She was definitely making more of an effort to engage them knowing that might make them more accepting of her.

The women went to Planet Hollywood and met with the restaurant's general manager to take a tour of the site. They soon learned that alcohol was only bringing in 25% of the eatery's sales. Kristi knew that raising the bar tab would be a faster, easier way to increase overall sales rather than try to increase dinner or merchandise sales. That afternoon, the girls came up with a plan to entice potential customers. The ladies would sell shots and t-shirts together, calling themselves the "Planet Hollywood Shooter Girls." By marketing themselves, as well as the product, they hoped to have a profitable evening. The only real speed bump came when Jessie took it upon herself to pull one of the waitstaff from the large dining room and create a VIP seating area near the restaurant's entrance. Katrina didn't appreciate Jessie acting independent of the team; plus, it pulled a staffer away from the busier portion of the business.

The women cranked up the shot sales, with Heidi blazing the trail. One guy bought an entire tray of shooters, in many flavors. How could the women not join him for a shot or two? At the end of the night, the ladies were exhausted and not entirely confident that they would beat the men again.

The next day, it was Versacorp's turn to tackle Planet Hollywood under Kwame's leadership. Their strategy was the opposite of the women. They wanted the majority of the team out in Times Square handing out coupons and recruiting potential diners. Bill was in charge of managing the waitstaff and had a brief meeting with the crew. He offered them an incentive to increase sales. The waiter or waitress who could ring up the most sales in an hour, would receive one hundred dollars for that hour. The staff was very receptive to that idea! But would it work? That evening, Bill was disappointed by the tiny crowd in the dining room. Bowie started to go table to table to encourage folks to buy merchandise or commemorative photos. That strategy didn't seem to work. Drastic times called for drastic measures, and next thing you know, Kwame was selling autographed merchandise. It was Troy's idea, but the rest of the guys went along with the charade and actually sold some goods. Nick was disgusted by the deceptive tactic and "checked out" for the remainder of the task - which didn't go unnoticed by his teammates. Also going unnoticed was the fact that Bill seemed to take control of the task, with Kwame letting him call the shots.

The next day, the teams regrouped in the boardroom to find out how they did in overall Planet Hollywood sales. Carolyn reported that last year's revenue for the night the men worked was $13,168 and this year's was $14,069, a 6.8% increase. For the women, George reported that last year's revenue for their night was $12,592 and this year's was $16,537. With an increase of 31.3% over the previous year, the women had done it again! Donald could hardly believe it. While the women headed to the Trump National Golf Course, the men were left to ponder the boardroom. Before the women could truly enjoy their outing, they had a surprise visit from Donald and Carolyn - who both conveyed a warning about using their sex appeal in every task. Donald told them they were smart, dynamic and attractive women who shouldn't have to cross the line of sexuality to win. The women were duly chastened.Back in the suite that evening, the women told the men of their warning and the men brought up the issue of Kwame signing autographs. The fight over ethics escalated until Nick walked out in disgust. Later, the men found themselves once again in the boardroom. Kwame admitted that they got beat by the bar tab, but stood by his belief that the team executed their strategy well. George disagreed and said they were all just looking to cover their own asses, not working as a team to successfully complete the task. Carolyn told them that out of the five of them, they sent three into Times Square to hand out coupons rather than focus their collective energy inside the venue to increase sales. Donald asked Nick who blew it and he said, "Kwame." That started the discussion about sales tactics and autographs. Ultimately, Kwame, Bowie and Nick were left to face the firing. Troy and Bill were sent back up to the suite, while the others awaited Donald's decision. Donald, George and Carolyn knew it would be a much harder decision than last week.

When Bowie, Kwame and Nick reentered the boardroom, Nick pleaded his case as a "born leader." Donald said there was no clear-cut decision in this case. He questioned Kwame's decisions, but gave him a reprieve. Bowie, however, despite his strengths in other areas had failed miserably at merchandising. Donald told Nick that he really wanted to see him as Project Manager for the next task - which meant Bowie was fired. Afterwards, Donald said he really liked Bowie but didn't think he presented himself well. For his part, Bowie said that getting shut out by the girls four times in a row was not the greatest, but better to leave now than later if the guys keep losing.

NBC has announced casting for Apprentice 2. The Apprentice is currently on the air on Thursday nights on NBC. The deadline for the new series is March 7, 2004.

From NBC.comThink you can match business wits with Donald Trump? Apply now for the second season of The Apprentice. Here's how:Click here to download and complete the application,

Create a VHS videotape (maximum length 10 minutes) showing us why you would be the perfect Apprentice in the Trump Organization.

Submit the completed application and VHS tape (with no other enclosed items) no later than March 4, 2004 to the address below: The Apprentice — Season 21223 Wilshire Blvd. #902Santa Monica, CA 90404

Important Application Dates to RememberTape Deadline: March 4th, 2004 by 5:00pm Pacific Daylight Time Semi-Final Interviews: March/April 2004 Final Selection Process in LA: April 2004

Note: Any tapes longer than 10 minutes will not be considered. The videotape will become the property of the Producers and will not be returned to you, regardless of whether or not you are selected as a player.

The group was stunned to see Nick return, but not Bowie. The women couldn't help but notice how the men's morale was plummeting. Nick knew that success or victory during the next task rested squarely on his shoulders. The women chose Kristi to lead them in the next task. Donald requested that the teams meet in the boardroom, with the Project Managers seated directly in front of him. When they arrived, they found Carolyn and Donald, but not George. He was on a business trip, so another one of Donald's trusted employees, Bernie Diamond, was sitting in. Donald announced that due to the men's consistent failure, he'd be doing a "corporate reshuffle." In business, he explained, when things aren't working then it's time to mix it up. Nick chose someone to join his team first, then Kristi chose someone, and so on until there were 2 men and 4 women on each team. The new Versacorp team was: Nick, Amy, Bill, Katrina, Ereka and Tammy. The new Protégé team was: Kristi, Troy, Jessie, Kwame, Heidi and Omarosa.For their first task on their new teams, the players were given a thousand dollars to purchase whatever items they wanted. However, they would have to resell those items at a flea market, hopefully at a higher price. The team that made the most profit would win the task. The men seemed happy with the team reshuffle. Bill said he thought the new Versacorp was stronger than the new Protégé. The proof would be in who performed well at the flea market.

Nick's team decided to sell women's clothing and jewelry that they made themselves. They split up to buy supplies and Nick consistently deferred to the women on the decision making. Tammy thought this was a mistake on Nick's part since he was the Project Manager. Meanwhile, Kristi's team wasn't as focused. Jessie thought they should sell seeds with bags of dirt. Troy brainstormed on that idea, but Kwame wasn't too receptive. Later, Kristi and her group walked through the flea market to get an idea of what was selling. None of them were very impressed with items for sale. Heidi was especially negative. Eventually, the team split up to search the city for appropriate and potentially profitable items. At 7pm that evening, they still hadn't made a decision. Meanwhile, Nick and Katrina did some dumpster diving and actually found a wardrobe wrack to display their custom shirts, plus some items they could actually sell. Would anyone actually buy any of it?

The day of challenge, Protégé got up early and claimed an indoor booth when they saw it was going to rain. They had decided on an Asian theme and were selling rice-paper umbrellas and other Asian inspired items. Versacorp's previous confidence was dampened by their outdoor, rain-soaked location. Bill suggested a blow-out sale due to the low traffic in the outdoor areas. As the day wore on, however, things inside slowed down for Protégé. Heidi was aggravated by Kristi's lack of strong decision making, and felt they team should move outside if the weather cleared up. She and Omarosa made a plea to Kristi to move the booth outside in the hopes of increasing interest and sales. Elsewhere outside, Nick continued to consult with Katrina and the other women. He said it was because they had won four challenges, so why not get their feedback? As the sun peaked out through the Manhattan skyline, the after-church crowd descended on the flea market. Versacorp ended on a high note when they sold everything down to the tablecloth! Back at the suite, Protégé regrouped to tally the receipts. Omarosa was in charge of her team's finances and realized that they were missing over a $100. Kristi felt that Omarosa was setting her up for failure.The next day in the boardroom, Carolyn and Bernie presented Donald with the flea market results. Carolyn started by saying that she initially thought Nick's team was going downhill because they only bought small and medium sized t-shirts. However, she admitted that they were able to pull it off and the team finished with a profit of over $600. Bernie then reported that Kristi's team tried to divide and conquer, which ultimately failed. They came in with a net loss of $75.78. Nick was finally on a winning team! As a reward, his group would pay a visit to Yankee's owner George Steinbrenner at Yankee Stadium. Over the course of 30 years, Steinbrenner has led the Yankees to 6 world championships, so Donald thought it fit that the winning team meet a true winner. Later, Kristi got very emotional and upset with herself for the team's loss.

As Nick and his team prepared for their outing to Yankee Stadium. Heidi conveyed her anger and frustration over her team's failure. She and Omarosa were sure that their heads were on the chopping block. Kristi tried to calm Heidi down, but Heidi didn't want to discuss it further. Yet, Heidi continued to discuss it loudly with Omarosa. Meanwhile, Kristi and Jessie tried to strategize about their boardroom appearance. Jessie advised Kristi to just be honest, humble and straightforward. She was a bit worried that Kristi would crumble under boardroom pressure.

Nick's group was much more upbeat as they pulled up to the Yankee Offices. Donald met them out front and together they arrived at George Steinbrenner's office. George told them that the secret to victory is desire. He advised them to always enjoy what they're doing. "You've got to want to do," he said. Tammy then asked George about his "bling-bling" – referring to his championship ring. The others were mortified by the comment, but George didn't seem to mind. Next, the group stepped out of the Owner's Box to have a closer look at the ballpark.

Next stop for Donald: The Boardroom. Kristi, Troy, Jessie, Heidi, Omarosa and Kwame filed in. Kristi started off by saying she tried to lead by group consensus, which she now realizes was not a good idea. Bernie chimed in that he saw a lot of errors in judgment, which may have somehow contributed to the missing cash. Donald admonished them for losing money, then asked Kwame which team member did a lousy job. Kwame said first it would be Kristi for being an ineffective leader, secondly Omarosa for losing track of the money. Not surprisingly, Omarosa assured Donald that she could have done a better job as project manager. What was surprising was that Jessie piped up to blame Kristi for the team's failure. Heidi remained quiet until Donald addressed her directly. When Donald asked Kristi to choose two team members to join her, she chose Heidi and Omarosa. Once everyone left the boardroom, Donald asked Carolyn and Bernie what they thought about Kristi's failure. Carolyn thought maybe Kristi is a good employee, but not a good employer. Donald still thought Kristi had potential, but would he fire her anyway? The three women were called back in for Donald's decision. He told Kristi that he thought she'd been a star up to this point, but he was disappointed that she didn't fight for herself in previous discussions. Kristi was fired!

I love this show too Mama. I felt bad for Kristi because she was doing so well and it looked like Donald really liked her but she was very indecisive as Project Manager but then when you have the two biggest bags on your team I guess that was her downfall. I missed the first 10 minutes so I don't how the teams were chosen. I could not beleive the language spewing from Heidi's mouth. Totally no class and not fit to run one of Donalds company. I don't care for Omarossa either. She is very cold, manipulative and out for herself (not good to run the Donald's business.) And Tammy made some embarassing comments to George Steinbrenner. Maybe she was just in awe of where she was. I think this week's show Omarossa is the Project Manager. I like to see her fail. ohhhhh look at all the venom spewing from me.

I am not sure I really like any of the women... yes- they were "smart" in the beginning but I feel like they are starting to crack and fal apart. I bet Donald takes a man in the end.... Hopefully those girls step it up a notch and BLING BLING till the end.. ha ha

I taped the Apprentice last week and just got caught up watching it..is it me or is Omarosa a little sneaky?? All Kristi had to do was defend herself..she took full blame for the lost money..It was like she threw in the towel and quit :..I think that you may be right Wendy..I'm trusting the guys a lot more than the girls.. .

You know how glad I am that Jessie got fired??? Very glad... She basically sealed Kristi's fate last week, by teling her not to defend herself (basically) plus she sat there and let Omorosa tell her she had no class or leadership and then told Donald Trump she liked Omorosa. I am glad she got fired... she was fake, and she was a back stabber. I am happy Donald stopped her before she really made an ass out of herself...... :-\

The guys waited anxiously in the suite and discussed who might not make it back. Jessie had no doubts. She thought that if Omarosa didn't get fired, she would question what this whole competition is all about. When Heidi and Omarosa emerged through the door, Tammy couldn't maintain a poker face. Her shock at seeing Omarosa was obvious - even to Omarosa! Jessie, Ereka and Bill reacted in stunned silence. Omarosa thought it was valuable to see the shock and awe she inspired in her team members upon her return. Even though Heidi survived her brush with the axe, she was stressed out.

More confident than ever, Omarosa announced that she was ready to step up and be Project Manager of Protégé. She not only predicted a win, but said that when she pulled off the victory, she'd seal her fate for the entire game. Jessie thought that if the team loses, it would be a good way to reveal Omarosa's flaws.

Meanwhile, Versacorp gave Bill the chance to lead since he'd never been Project Manager. Even though they all seemed excited, Heidi declared that they'd have to win - there was no other option.

Donald summoned the two teams to the Wollman Ice-Skating Rink - one of Manhattan's biggest tourist attractions. But, according to Donald, it wasn't always that way. He explained that the city had spent 7 years and 21 million dollars in a failed attempt to finish the rink. Tired of seeing the waste, Donald stepped in and got the job done in 3 months and for less than 2 million dollars. Donald said this was his proudest accomplishment because it was about giving back. He continued, saying that now the teams would have their chance to give back through an auction at Sotheby's for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Donald laid out the task: Each team would have five celebrities to work with. Teams would create a personal experience with each celebrity to be auctioned off. The team that raised the most money would be the winner.

Versacorp, led by Bill, would work with Regis Philbin (of "Live with Regis and Kelly"), Rocco DiSpirito (of NBC's "The Restaurant" fame), Carson Daly ("Last Call with Carson Daly"), Tiki Barber (NY Giants) and Ed Bernero (An Executive Producer of "Third Watch"). While Protégé, with Omarosa at the helm, would work with Russell Simmons (Hip Hop producer; co-founder of Baby Phat), Kate White (Editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine), Nicole Miller (Fashion Designer), The Fab Five (the entire cast of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") and Isaac Mizrahi (Fashion Designer).Omarosa got off to a rough start as Project Manager when Jessie and Kwame called to get the number of the charity. But Omarosa wouldn't give it to them, saying that she wanted to talk to the charity first. When they asked for the number again, Omarosa hung up on them! Jessie couldn't believe it and said that she thought it would be best for the team if Omarosa got fired.

If Versacorp had one of those relatives that you like to hide away when company comes, it would have been Tammy. At nearly every celebrity meeting, Tammy pushed too hard, asking the celebs for way too much. She often opened with the idea that the celebrity would take a four-day trip with the auction winner. She even asked Rocco to donate a trip to Tuscany. Tammy's teammates were mortified. Amy called her "a loose cannon."

If Protégé had a savior, it was Troy. With his southern drawl and mountains of sincerity, he managed to charm most of the celebrities that the team met with - even averting a few potential disasters. Troy's charm knew no bounds as he worked his magic with both Russell Simmons and all five of the guys from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." But not every meeting went well for the group. When Jessie took charge with Isaac Mizrahi, it was painful. She dragged out every last detail as she methodically spoke, clearly irritating Isaac. Again, it was Troy to the rescue. Isaac was so happy with Troy that he gave him a big fat hug.

The night of the auction, everyone was dressed in their best. Donald welcomed all of the guests and reminded them that the money raised that evening would go to a worthy cause, so they should all bid generously. First up was an evening of Disco Bowling with the Fab Five from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," which quickly brought in a big $9,000. Protégé were psyched. Versacorp looked nervous. Next up was a day with Regis, including dinner, which brought $6,000. Versacorp was down by $3,000! Protégé racked up another $7,000 for a day with Isaac Mizrahi, which included lunch and a peek at his new clothing line. Versacorp came back with a whopping $13,000 for a private party for 50 at Rocco DiSpirito's Italian restaurant. A day with Kate White added $6,000 to Protégé's tally. Next up, a walk on part on the show "Third Watch" bumped up Versacorp another $7,000. Working as an apprentice for a day with Nicole Miller brought $6,000 in for Protégé, while the Tiki Barber auction pulled in $4,000 for the Versacorp kitty. Finally, a day with Russell Simmons drew $7,000 for Protégé, which the team was happy with - until a holiday party with Carson Daly raked in a cool $10,000 for the Versacorp side.Donald gathered everyone to thank them for their work. Together they helped raise $75,000 for a worthy charity. Yet, even with all of the good work they did, someone would still have to get fired. Donald announced that Protégé helped raised $35,000. But Versacorp did even better with $40,000. So, Donald would meet the Protégé team in the boardroom. Before the meeting, Protégé got a chance to stew. Back in the suite, Omarosa told Jessie right to her face that she felt Jessie was the weakest link. In an interview, Jessie defended herself, and was almost brought to tears. It was a different story with Versacorp, who celebrated with a night of drinking and laughing, which brought Amy and Nick a little closer. Will sparks eventually fly, or will the two keep it strictly professional?

Back in the boardroom, Omarosa, Jessie, Heidi, Troy and Kwame all filed in. When Donald asked what happened, the consensus was clear: Jessie was the weakest team member. There would have been no question who Donald should fire, but then, Omarosa spoke up. In an attempt to compliment Heidi, Omarosa managed to say that she thought Heidi wasn't always professional, didn't have much class or finesse - at which point Donald broke in, stunned, saying that he thought that was the absolute worst compliment he's ever heard. Donald was surprised by Omarosa's sharp edge. So, he gave both Jessie and Heidi a chance to respond to Omarosa, but neither took the opportunity. They were diplomatic and even said that they still liked Omarosa, something that Donald couldn't believe. Then, Omarosa chose Jessie and Heidi to face the firing with her.

Once the players left the boardroom, George and Carolyn both criticized Omarosa. George thought that she was abrasive and he questioned her leadership abilities. Carolyn said she didn't see Omarosa's leadership qualities. Donald then called the three women back into the room. He said that he was taken aback by how Omarosa treated the other two women in the boardroom just now. He added that he'd also seen other such rude behavior from Omarosa before. But worst than Omarosa's lack of social skills was Jessie's complete passivity. Jessie just let Omarosa ride roughshod over her. And, in the words of The Donald, took too much "crap." And for Donald Trump, not standing up for yourself is an even greater sin than being unprofessional. As Jessie began to plead for her spot, Donald fired her.

{Hey Wendy?? Just curious...who do you think will be the "Apprentice" ? I really like Kwame..actually..all of the men are really good who do you like ?} puddin

I really don't care for Heidi or Amorosa... They are both very unprofessional. Amorosa has good verbal communication skills, just not everything that comes out should be legal! But I do like Nick, and I do like the girl he likes... (Blonde- I forget her name)... I can't wait to see it tonight.